Empowered Patient Podcast Simplifying and Speeding Up Genomic Testing and Analysis Using PCR Instruments to Identify Biomarkers with Dr. Barnaby Balmforth Biofidelity
Dr. Barnaby Balmforth, Co-Founder and CEO of Biofidelity, has a mission to make genomic analysis simpler, faster, and more reliable for treatment decisions. Biofidelity addresses genome sequencing challenges by using a targeted approach and unique technology that allows for local testing using PCR rather than DNA sequencers. Thanks to COVID, an existing global infrastructure of PCR equipment provides an opportunity to target specific biomarkers and deliver actionable information to physicians and patients.
Barnaby explains, "The challenge as we see it is that in this modern oncology era, there is now a wide need for multi-gene genomic profiling of patients. The only solution that has been available to enable that is DNA sequencing. The media has quite widely covered how the genomics market is growing, and the cost of sequencing is shrinking. But sadly, in the clinical space, oncologists and patients are still failing to fully experience the benefits of this technology."
"It is not a simple process to perform clinical diagnostics using DNA sequencing. That has resulted in the centralization of sequencing tests in very large laboratories with all of the associated logistical challenges of getting samples to those laboratories, processing them through these complex workflows, and then returning results to the clinicians."
"We focus on delivering the clinically actionable information to physicians as quickly as possible. So, we are not forming very large whole genome sequencing tests. We are focused on what information is associated with approved therapies, what information is recommended for testing in the treatment guidelines, and what is needed to make these treatment decisions. So, we take a more focused and targeted approach."
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